6 effective ways to lose weight, according to science

When you’re ready to lose weight, you want to do it the right way — the way that will help you see the results you’re looking for, feel good along the way, and keep the weight off. Most importantly, your plan to lose weight should incorporate habits you’ll be able to continue for good, says Dr. Megan Williams Khmelev, M.D., a board-certified obesity and family medicine physician in San Antonio, Texas. But what does that actually mean? Instead of listening to what your neighbor’s sister’s boss says, lean on science. Here’s what research shows will help you succeed, both now and in the future.

Trying to lose a lot of weight super fast is a recipe for discouragement. Sure you might stick with your restrictive diet for a week or two, but it will likely end up feeling too hard pretty quickly. The result: You giving up and going back to your old ways. Dropping weight too quickly could also increase your risk of certain health issues. For instance, you could develop gallstones and lose more muscle mass than you would if you lost weight more slowly, according to Jill Weisenberger, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Virginia. Also, crash dieting doesn’t give you time to form new habits and routines that will help you keep that weight off, she says. The best rate to aim for? About one to two pounds of weight loss a week.

This is especially important if you’re using a GLP-1 medication, as that can cause pretty rapid weight loss (especially as you start going up in doses). Talk to your clinician about the right rate to aim for to avoid certain side effects like increased muscle loss and hair loss.

Protein helps you feel more satisfied between meals than other nutrients do, with research showing that eating a higher-protein diet can help you lose weight and feel more satiated than one lower in protein. Eating more protein can also help you preserve muscle mass during weight loss. It’s why Williams Khmelev generally recommends that her patients strive to get at least 30 percent of their daily caloric intake from protein. Another way to think of how much protein you should get in a day: at least 1 gram per kilogram of body weight.

Whether you use a digital tool like the Weight Watchers app or a written log, research has found that recording what you eat can be valuable. “This is one of the strongest evidence-based ways to facilitate weight loss,” Williams Khmelev says. It helps bring awareness to what you eat, which can make it easier to eat a healthier diet. And the more consistent you are, the better. Weight Watchers members who consistently track their food at least five days a week lose 7% more weight at six months than those who track less than three days a week.*

While exercise is important during weight loss to help you maintain muscle mass, it really comes into play with maintaining weight loss. Research shows that physical activity is key for keeping weight off because it improves metabolism and supports satiety regulation (or how well your body communicates to your brain that you’re full). This is one of the reasons most health organizations recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week, as well as strength training at least twice a week.

Does that goal feel too huge? Start by trying to move a little more and sit a little less each day. Then focus on finding an activity you’ll like doing, since “the exercise that you enjoy gets done,” Williams Khmelev says. Also try thinking about exercise as a way to relieve stress and be stronger and healthier — not just as a means to lose weight, she says.

Sleep may seem random when it comes to weight loss, but research has shown that it’s a vital component. One review of research highlighted one of the first studies on sleep and weight loss, which found that sleeping longer than 7 hours a night and having quality sleep can increase the likelihood of losing weight by 33%. Hormones may be a factor: Research has found a link between not getting enough sleep and increased production of hormones that make you hungry.

Everyone’s sleep needs are different, but the National Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults get between seven and nine hours a night. If you aren’t hitting that goal most nights, you can start by going to bed 15 minutes earlier to see how you feel. Still tired? Push your sleep time forward another 15, and keep going until you find yourself waking up feeling refreshed.

We get it: Just hearing that you need to stress less feels stressful! But doing it can definitely have an impact on your weight loss efforts. One study published in the journal Obesity analyzed body weight and stress and found that people with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol were more likely to weigh more, have larger waist circumferences, and higher BMIs than their less-stressed counterparts.

Stress management looks different for everyone, but it could be as simple as meditating for a few minutes each morning, taking a yoga class on weekends, or getting regular exercise (which, as mentioned above, is great when you’re trying to lose weight).

Every influencer claims to have found the secret to losing weight, but most of those approaches aren’t backed by science and don’t work. Luckily, research has discovered what does work: physical activity, a healthier diet that prioritizes protein, tracking your food, sleeping a little more, and stressing a little less. Let Weight Watchers help make this feel easier: Our Core program is based on the latest science of weight loss and takes the guesswork out of figuring out what to do. Or go with our Core+ program or Med+ program for unlimited coaching and Workshops to support you each step of the way.